Synopsis

Single mother Hiroko Yusa encounters a strange man dressed as a samurai. His name is Yasubei Kijima, and he has time-traveled 180 years from the Edo era to the present day. Hiroko finds it hard to believe him, but is eventually moved by his plight and allows him to live in her home. In return for her kindness, Yasubei offers to help with the housework. He proves himself highly skilled, and does everything?cooking, laundry, and cleaning?to perfection. Hiroko, tired from her day at work, begins to realize that Yasubei is the ideal househusband. He decides to tackle some new recipes, learns how to make desserts, and eventually becomes a popular character?a genius patissier who looks and talks like a samurai. A Boy and His Samurai 2 takes place eight years after the first book in the series ends, with Yasubei having returned to Edo. This time Tomoya, Hiroko's 14-year-old son, travels back in time 180 years to the Edo era. In a fast-paced, action-packed plot full of thrills and sudden twists and turns, Yasubei manages to create caramel custard back in the days when such ingredients were nearly impossible to come by.

About the Author

Gen Araki(1964–) was born in Kyoto. He graduated from the University of Tokyo with a major in French literature. After a stint working for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, he made his author's debut with the 2003 mystery Hone'n naka (In the Bone). Araki's wife is also an Asahi Shimbun reporter, and his hit series Chonmage purin (tr. for the subsequent film version as A Boy and His Samurai) is based on his own experience as a stay-at-home father, writing while keeping house and raising children. His other books include Oke rojin! (The Elderly Orchestra), about a high-school teacher who finds himself a member of an amateur orchestra made up entirely of senior citizens. The plot thickens when Russian national secrets come into play! Books by this author